


Monster Problems

by boredomsMuse



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Although it's not mentioned in this story, Book 2, Gen, Good Dudley Dursley, Good Petunia Dursley, Good Vernon Dursely, also
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:13:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23767492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boredomsMuse/pseuds/boredomsMuse
Summary: Harry has noticed that a lot of weird things happen at Hogwarts.  In this first year, those things were largely wizard-y things, minus the ghosts and the moving portraits.  It’s odd, but it’s magic.His second year, he’s not so sure.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 65





	Monster Problems

**Author's Note:**

> So I opened up drabble prompts on my [tumblr](https://boredomsmuse.tumblr.com/), and decided to write a quick au concept as an example of what that is (although this one is a bit long). 
> 
> Please enjoy

Harry has noticed that a lot of weird things happen at Hogwarts. In this first year, those things were largely wizard-y things, minus the ghosts and the moving portraits. It’s odd, but it’s magic.

His second year, he’s not so sure.

There’s just something about the chamber of secrets that doesn’t seem… entirely magic. Oh, magic is definitely involved, because it’s always involved. But there’s something else about the chamber that…

Well, Harry’s not sure how to explain it. He just knows they aren’t having any luck figuring out what kind of monster this is and maybe that means it isn’t  _ just  _ a magic problem.

Which is why he pens out all the details in a letter after another night of fruitlessly digging around in the library. The next day Hedwig returns with a thick letter in response.

“It’s a basilisk!” Harry announces to Ron and Hermione the moment he gets them alone.

“A basilisk? How can you be sure?” Hermione asks, frowning slightly. 

“I asked my aunt and uncle, they’re monster hunters.” Harry explains, showing them the letter. Aunt Petunia’s chicken scratch covers the page. “They suggested a few other monsters, but Aunt Petunia thinks that’s the most likely.”

“Muggle monster hunters?” Ron confirms. “That’s a bit odd.”

“I’m rather sure it’s illegal for any muggle to be involved with monsters.” Hermione says. “They’ll have all their memories oblivioed if they’re caught.”

“There’s a reason I don’t talk about it much.” Harry replies, flickering through the papers until he can get to the important things. “Aunt Petunia says it can only kill you if you meet its eyes, but seeing its reflection will paralyze you. She also says a rooster cawing can kill it, but Dudley doesn’t think we should kill it.”

“It’s a badly giant snake that’s going around paralyzing everything!” Ron argues.

“But it’s just a snake, it’s not evil.” Harry says. “It’s probably lost.”

“Or being controlled.” Hermione suggests. “I mean, we know  _ someone _ has to be involved, right? To have opened the chamber. And I’ve been reading up on the chamber, you know, and talking with the older portraits in the school. Apparently the chamber was intended as an escape route, should anything happen to the school. Salazar was a parseltongue, maybe he had a basilisk in the chamber for added protection.”

“They can live for thousands of years. Like dragons.” Harry says. “You know, between that and the stairs, the founding four were way too worried about Hogwarts being invaded.”

“I believe the castle even had a moat defense when it was first built, like most castles.” Hermione adds.

“Less history, more giant snake talk.” Ron says, drawing them back to the topic at hand. “If the snake isn’t evil, how can we stop it without killing it?”

“Dudley thinks we should find the person controlling it. Aunt Petunia says we should tell her everything we find out, she might be able to help.” Harry answers.

“Well then, our research should be much more productive now that we know what we’re dealing with.” Hermione says, turning to the library.

“We still have to go to the library?” Ron groans, clearly less amused. Not that he does much once they get there, aside from throwing the occasionally bad-looking bertie berts bean at Harry and Hermione as they reread his letter.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no explanation for this au. I was just sitting there and then suddenly thought 'but what if Petunia because a supernatural style-hunter so she could still be involved in the magical world (and in keeping it safe)' and now we have this


End file.
